THE FUJARA, a Slovak folk instrument, along with the music it produces have been included on a list of "oral and intangible human heritage" put together by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Fujara is among the 43 new "masterpieces" that the Director-General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, designated as UNESCO heritage items on November 25.
This is UNESCO's third declaration of Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage, an international distinction designed to raise public awareness of the value of this heritage, which includes popular and traditional oral forms of expression, music and dance, rituals and mythologies, knowledge and practices concerning the universe, know-how linked to traditional crafts, as well as cultural spaces. Often vulnerable, this heritage, a repository of cultural diversity, is essential to the identity of communities and peoples.
The 43 new masterpieces were proposed to the Director-General by an 18-member jury chaired by Princess Basma Bint Talal of Jordan. The jury met from 20 to 24 November to examine 64 national and multinational candidatures. A total of 47 masterpieces were proclaimed in 2001 and 2003. Twenty-seven of them have already benefited from UNESCO's support, particularly from safeguarding operations which received financial assistance from Japan.
Compiled by Martina Jurinová from press reports
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